1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to input methods for selecting destinations in navigation systems, and more particularly relates to an input method for selecting a destination in which when a category of the destination is input, a list of "points of interest" is displayed, whereby the destination may be input by selecting the "point of interest" (POI) of the desired destination from the POI list.
2. Description of the Related Art
A navigation system, which guides a driver so as to easily reach a desired destination, determines the current location of a vehicle and reads map data for the vicinity of the vehicle from a map information storage medium, such as a CD-ROM or a DVD (digital versatile disc). After a pause, in a "MAP GUIDE MODE", a map image and travel routes are drawn on a display with a vehicle position mark (representing the current position of the vehicle) superposed thereon at a predetermined position in the map image. As the current location of the vehicle changes due to the travel of the vehicle, the vehicle position mark is caused to move along the travel route. Alternatively, the map image is scrolled while the vehicle position mark remains fixed at a predetermined position. Therefore, the detailed map image for the vicinity of the vehicle is displayed and can be understood at a glance.
In an "ARROW GUIDE MODE", the travel routes as well as the roads intersecting therewith are schematically shown. An arrow, which represents a direction of travel at an intersection, is also shown. Furthermore, the distance to an intersection, the direction of the destination, the distance to the destination and the like are shown. In addition, the direction of travel at an intersection is given by a synthesized voice instruction.
In order to be guided along a route using the "MAP GUIDE MODE" or the "ARROW GUIDE MODE", path finding to the destination must be performed by first inputting the name of the destination. This input method requires, for example, use of:
(1) a method of directly inputting the address of the destination; PA1 (2) a method of inputting a desired intersection by specifying two streets when the destination is an intersection; PA1 (3) a method of inputting the POI place name of the destination; PA1 (4) a method of selecting the place name of the destination from a list of possible displayed "place names" based on the input of a POI place type (category) of the destination; PA1 (5) a method of selecting the name of the destination from among the names of the most recent "n" number of destinations; PA1 (6) a method of selecting the name of the destination from among the names of the POIs pre-registered in an "address book"; PA1 (7) a method of inputting the destination by directly pointing to the position of the destination on the map image using a cursor; PA1 (8) a method of inputting a POI telephone number of the destination; or the like.
In order to input the destination using method (4), the main menu is displayed on a monitor by operating a menu key of a remote control unit (FIG. 6A), and menu item "Dest" is selected from the main menu. This allows the navigation system to display the "Find Destination by" menu (FIG. 6B) for specifying an input method for selecting the destination. When menu item "Point of Interest" is selected, the navigation system displays the "Find Point of Interest by" menu containing items "Place Name" and "Place Type" (FIG. 6C). Menu item "Place Type" is selected. This allows the navigation system to display "Select Category" menu showing a list of the categories (FIG. 6D). When a category (for example, "SHOPPING") is selected from the category list, the navigation system displays an "alphanumeric keyboard" (FIG. 6E) for entering the name of a city. When the user types the first several letters of the name of the city using the above keyboard, a list of the names of the cities which begin with the same first several letters is displayed so the entries in the list can be scrolled through. The name of the desired city (for example, Costa Mesa) is selected from the list. Alternatively, the name of the desired city is entered by typing in the full name. By inputting the name of the city, a POI list which is specified by the category (shopping) as well as specified by the city (Costa Mesa) is displayed so that the entries in the list can be scrolled through (FIG. 6F). When the desired POI (for example, Triangle Square) is selected from the POI list, the name, the address, the telephone number and the like of the selected POI are shown (FIG. 6G). When the selected POI is the destination, "OK to Proceed" is selected. Accordingly, the selected POI is determined to be the destination. Thereafter, the navigation system finds and displays navigating routes from the current location to the destination.
A conventional navigation system shows POIs of a selected category in order of increasing distance from the current location of the vehicle when a category (a bank, a hotel, an "automatic teller machine" (ATM), an airport, and the like) is selected. When a category (for example, "fast-food restaurant") having branches is selected, every business chain classified as a "fast-food restaurant", such as "McDonald's" or "Burger King", is shown in order of increasing distance from the current location of the vehicle.
Accordingly, when many chain stores exist, because of the number of the entries in the POI list, numerous scrolling operations may be required to find the desired POI, which decreases the operability of the navigation system. In addition, when a user stays at a hotel which is two hundred miles away from the current location, because hotels are shown in order of increasing distance from the current location, numerous scrolling operations may be required to find the desired POI, which decreases the operability of the navigation system.